How to Clean Silver-Plated Bowls

If your bowl is silver plated, it's actually mostly made of another metal, and the silver occupies just a thin layer on the outside. When you care for it properly, it can last a long time. If you don't clean it right, though, you could have an ugly mess on your hands.

Things You'll Need

• Aluminum foil
• Baking soda
• Toothpaste
• Table salt

Instructions

1. Rub a coat of toothpaste over it, then scrub into a lather with a wet washcloth. Rinse the toothpaste off and dry with a soft, dry cloth.

2. Use baking soda instead of toothpaste. Make a paste of baking soda and warm water, then rub it onto the silver-plated surfaces of the bowl. Rinse thoroughly and dry with a soft cloth such as a cotton diaper, an absorbent microfiber chamois or a cloth table napkin.

3. Place a sheet of aluminum foil in your kitchen sink, and fill it with boiling water. Add 1 tbsp. of baking soda and 1 tbsp. of table salt, then place the bowl into the water, touching the foil. By the magic of electrolysis, your bowl will be clean in less than 10 minutes.

Tips & Warnings

• Protect that silver-plated bowl from further damage by storing it in a sealed zip bag or vacuum bag. It's the exposure to oxygen in the air, combined with environmental acids, that tarnish and stain silver.